Gideon Bands

GIDEON BANDS

FOR WORK WITHIN THE RACE AND FOR WORK WITHOUT THE RACE

A Message to the Colored People of the United States

A DISCOURSE DELIVERED IN THE FIFTEENTH STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, WASHINGTON, D. C., SUNDAY, MARCH THE 2ND, 1913, BY THE PASTOR, REV. FRANCIS J. GRIMKE, D. D.

R. L. PENDLETON 609 F ST. N. W., WASHINGTON, D. C. TELEPHONE MAIN 1148

GIDEON BANDS FOR WORK WITHIN THE RACE AND FOR WORK WITHOUT IT.

And Jehovah said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Giliad. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. And Jehovah said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down to the water, and I will try them for thee there; and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I shall say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. So he brought them down to the water: and Jehovah said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. And the number of them that lapped, putting their hands to their mouth, was 300; but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. And Jehovah said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thy hand; and let all the people go every man to his place.—Judges 7:1–7.

Judges

Several years ago this passage formed a part of the annual programme of the Young Peoples’ Society of Christian Endeavor, and was discussed under the heading, “Wanted: Men for Gideon’s Band.” And this is the subject that I desire to consider this morning. There are several lines of thought suggested by the topic. No one can read the narrative out of which it grows without being profoundly impressed.

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